Nelson earns 300th AHL win

Todd Nelson of the Grand Rapids Griffins became the 20th head coach in American Hockey League history with 300 career victories, reaching the milestone with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Rockford IceHogs on Friday night.

Nelson, 48, is in his third season with the Griffins and led the team to a Calder Cup championship in 2017. He now owns a record of 300-202-46 as a head coach in the AHL.

Prior to joining Grand Rapids, Nelson spent five years in the Edmonton organization, making four trips to the postseason with the Oklahoma City Barons and finishing the 2014-15 season as head coach of the Oilers.

Nelson has also served as an assistant coach in the AHL with Grand Rapids (2002-03) and Chicago (2006-08), winning a Calder Cup with the Wolves in 2008. He was also an assistant with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers from 2008-10.

A fourth-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1989, Nelson played 887 professional games and won a Calder Cup title with the Portland Pirates in 1994.